Violence plays role in shorter US life expectancy

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new report says the United States suffers far more violent deaths than any other wealthy nation, due in part to the widespread possession of firearms and the practice of storing them at home.

Gun violence is just one of many factors contributing to lower U.S. life expectancy, but the finding takes on urgency because the report comes less than a month after the shooting deaths of 20 children and six educators at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

The U.S. has about six violent deaths per 100,000 residents. None of the 16 other countries included in the review came close to that ratio.

For many years, Americans have been dying at younger ages than people in other wealthy countries. The U.S. also suffers high rates of drug-related deaths and infant mortality.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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